Seeing Red
by Nocturnal Forays
Summary: Tyler just wants to party on Halloween but Caroline has other things in mind.  Spoilers up to and including S03E06.


**Author's Note: **Since the only proper Halloween episode we ever had was in season one, I wanted to write something fluffy and fun for Tyler and Caroline. For the purpose of this story, I'm pretending like S03E09 won't happen—those of you have read the S03E09 synopsis will understand. So consider this story to follow canon only up to and including S03E06. After S03E09 airs, I'm sure this fic will have no place in TVD's actual timeline.

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><p>The call Tyler receives from a frantic Caroline makes him break a few speed limits as he drives to her house. Sheriff Forbes would not be impressed. Caroline didn't tell him anything except that there was an emergency and he had to be at her house as soon as possible. His mind is running wild with the possibilities of what might be wrong. Is Stefan bored of being Elena's babysitter and has he decided to go on a killing spree again? Has Bill Forbes come back? He kind of wishes Caroline <em>had <em>let him kick her father's ass. He'll always hate him for what he did to Caroline. Why would anyone think Caroline needed fixing? She's perfect.

Or is it Klaus? Has Klaus finally returned to Mystic Falls? He instantly feels the pull of loyalty and kinship as soon as even just a brief thought of Klaus enters his mind. He sees it for what it is now after Caroline explained what little she knew about siring (he hates that term—makes him feel weak and manipulated) and he pushes against its draw, but it's hard. There's a part of him that wants nothing more than to please Klaus. But there's a bigger part that wants to please Caroline more and he holds on tightly to that.

He finally arrives at the house, the front yard half-covered in Halloween decorations. Sparing barely a glance at the tombstones, floating ghosts, and cobwebs, he runs up the stairs and starts hammering at the door and doesn't stop. The door whips open and Caroline is standing there, a huge kitchen knife in one hand and a cluster of rubber bats in the other.

"Thank God you're finally here!"

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Caroline looks at him as though he's lost his mind. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"When you called, you said there was an emergency and you needed help and to get over here as fast as possible, remember?"

"Well, yeah. It's a Halloween decorating emergency."

"A _what_?"

"Elena and Bonnie bailed on me because of their boyfriend problems and now I'm behind on the pumpkin carving."

"Okay, I know you're speaking English, but you're not making any sense."

Caroline rolls her eyes. "There's a front yard to finish decorating, pumpkins need to be turned into jack-o'-lanterns, and there's candy to be handed out to the trick-or-treaters. Is that sense-making enough for you? Now get in here and help me."

He steps into the house. "So you're not in any danger?"

"No, Tyler. No one's in danger." She laughs and closes the door behind him then starts walking towards the kitchen, pulling Tyler along by the arm.

Tyler is even more confused than before. "But we're going to the Fell party tonight."

"No, we're not going to the Fell party tonight. _We_ never decided that. And we've already been to _two_ Halloween parties, Tyler—one on Friday and one on Saturday. And besides, tonight's a school night."

"_It's a school night?_ Seriously? Are you my mother? Since when does that matter? Half the time, we're out late dealing with the latest supernatural weirdness in Mystic Falls and rarely make it home before midnight."

"That's different. We're saving the world. Not partying."

"Saving the world? Caroline, you seem to have confused yourself with a certain other cute and perky blonde. But she happens to be a vampire slayer. _You're_ the vampire, remember?"

"But I'm a _good_ vampire. Wait, why are we even having this conversation?" She hands Tyler the huge kitchen knife and a pumpkin carving kit. "This is going to be fun. And I know you're a really great artist. I need you to carve me some awesome scary jack-o'-lanterns."

Tyler feels his cheeks heat at the compliment and clears his throat. "Caroline, you've got at least half a dozen pumpkins here."

"Eight, actually. So hurry up and get to it. If you're done by six, there's a surprise in it for you."

Tyler quirks his eyebrows and stares at her for a moment. "A surprise, huh?"

"Yep. Now carve. I'm going to finish decorating the yard."

As Tyler guts and carves the pumpkins, he occasionally sees Caroline pass by the kitchen door on her way to and from the storage closet where she digs out seemingly endless bags and boxes of Halloween decorations. She's entirely caught up in her mission to get the house trick-or-treat ready as she always is when she's in planning mode.

"Didn't even kiss me hello when I arrived," Tyler grumbles.

"What's that, Tyler?" Caroline pops her head round the kitchen door.

Tyler jumps and almost slices his finger off. "Nothing! Just get back to decorating and let me carve these stupid pumpkins in peace so we can get this over and done with as soon as possible."

Caroline grins and goes back outside to put up the string of bat lights she'd been untangling.

"If this was how I wanted to spend Halloween I could've just stayed home with mom." Tyler sighs and stabs at the pumpkin a few times. It makes him feel only a little better.

_._._

Two hours later, Tyler is so absorbed in carving scary faces into the pumpkins (and actually really enjoying himself, if he's honest with himself), he doesn't notice Caroline is in the kitchen until she's right behind him, leaning over and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"These are amazing, Tyler. I knew you'd be really good at this." Her breath ghosts across his ear and cheek, making him shiver and the knife he's holding almost slips again. She wanders over to a cupboard to pulls out bags of candy and pours them into huge bowls. "The yard's all done. It's almost dark and kids should start showing up any time now."

Tyler looks up from putting final touches on the last jack-o'-lantern to see the sun has gone down and he's probably been carving in the dim kitchen for at least half an hour. He's still not used to his heightened vampire eyesight and how he can see so perfectly in the dark.

"They're ready. Where do you want them?" Tyler asks.

"I want one on each side of the door and the rest so they're lined up on both sides of the stairs."

"Yes, ma'am." Tyler salutes her, eliciting a laugh from Caroline.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" she asks.

"Do I have to answer that?" he asks in return.

She sticks her tongue out at him and scoops up the package of candles and a barbeque lighter as Tyler starts carrying out the jack-o'-lanterns, placing then exactly where Caroline wants them. When they're done and the carved pumpkins are lit up, they stand back on the sidewalk and admire the Forbes front lawn. It's all wonderfully done and perfectly spooky—as if Caroline would have accomplished anything less.

"I think next year I'll install a fog machine."

Tyler shakes his head and wraps an arm around her waist. "You're crazy."

She nods firmly. "And you wouldn't have me any other way."

She kisses him lightly at first, but as it always is with them, the kiss deepens and becomes more intense. Tyler pulls her closer, enjoying the feel of her against him and time just slips away. The sound of shrieking children in the distance finally registers and they pull apart, laughing self-consciously at having lost track of where they were.

"We'd better get inside," she says. "They're almost here."

For the next three hours, Tyler helps Caroline hand out candy to the costumed children of Mystic Falls while horror movies play on the television in the background.

_._._

The trick-or-treaters have come and gone for the night.

"I counted at least six werewolves and only one vampire," Tyler gloats as he rifles through the left over candy, searching for his favourite chocolate.

"Two words: The. Council. I'm surprised we saw even one vampire costume, actually. They must be new and just moved to Mystic Falls," Caroline says, a bitter edge to her tone. "Except for our mothers and Ric, none of the rest of The Council knows werewolves exist. Or ghosts. Or hybrids."

He walks up to her and hugs her, kissing her on the cheek. "Welcome to Mystic Falls where every day is Halloween."

"Thank you for all your help today."

"You're welcome. And I know I complained, but I had a good time."

Caroline smiles that smile that does him in every time. Like she's lit from within and becomes a thousand times more beautiful, if that's even possible. He wants to put that smile on her face always, and that's why he's determined to be there for her, no matter what.

"Let's make popcorn and watch more scary movies!"

"It's not even ten o'clock yet. We can still make it to the party."

Caroline frowns. "Tyler, I just want to stay in and have a nice, quietly spooky Halloween with you. I don't feel like being around a bunch of drunken idiots again. Besides, don't you want your surprise?"

"You mean staying in and eating popcorn and watching scary movies isn't the surprise?" he asks sarcastically.

"Careful, your pre-werewolf Tyler is showing."

Tyler sighs. "I'm being an asshole, aren't I?"

Caroline shrugs. "A little, yeah." She chews on her lower lip as she's lost in thought then takes a deep breath before she speaks. "I just want you to have a nice, normal, traditional Halloween. Like how it was when you were a kid to remind you of your humanity and to keep you grounded in your life, with your friends, to strengthen that connection. And maybe to weaken the hold Klaus has over you."

Tyler is so shocked he doesn't know what to say. All this was for him, he realises, to help him stay connected to the life he had and who he was before being turned into a hybrid. She leaves him standing there but returns a moment later with a plate of cookies in one hand and a movie in the other.

"Chocolate chip and _The Exorcist_."

"My favourites."

She nods and gives him a small smile. He walks up to her and cups her cheek, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Thank you, Caroline."

_._._

The end credits of the film are rolling and there's nothing but crumbs left on the plate and inedible un-popped corn kernels at the bottom of the bowl. Caroline is snuggled into his side, having watched most of the movie from beneath a blanket.

"I can't believe you, a vampire, were scared of a movie. It's not real, you know."

"Hmph. How do you know I wasn't scared of the seventies clothing instead, huh?"

Tyler laughs. "Okay, yeah, knowing you, I'd buy that."

"So, do you want your surprise now?"

"You mean this wasn't it? And I mean that in a pre-hybrid, non-asshole way. Really."

"No, Tyler. This was just more stuff to help you."

Once again, he's amazed by her and by how big her heart is. "Okay, sure. I'll have my surprise now."

"Wait here. I'll be right back."

_._._

Tyler's watching another horror movie on television while he waits for Caroline's surprise when legs in white fishnet stockings step in front of the screen, blocking his view. His eyes travel up past bare thighs to an extremely short red skirt, a red corseted bodice—breasts pushed up and threatening to spill over—and a little red hooded cape that skims her elbows. A small basket hanging from her arm completes the look.

"Um, Caroline, my childhood Halloweens were never like this," he says as she climbs onto his lap, straddling him.

"Just think of it as further incentive to stay away from the dark side," she replies, smiling wickedly.

"Little Red Riding Hood? Really? Let me guess. I'm supposed to be the Big Bad Wolf."

"Well, you were. I was going to get you a costume and everything, but then Klaus turned you and now you're not just a wolf anymore...I wish you were still just-a-wolf-Tyler."

Tyler stops her hands from roaming over his chest and holds them still. "I don't."

Her eyes widen in surprise.

"Caroline, I'd be lying if I said I miss those painful transformations."

Her eyes soften. "I know. And it's not that I want you to suffer through that every month. I am actually happy that you don't have to go through it anymore. But, Tyler, we still don't know exactly what a hybrid is, what it means. And that scares me."

"Do _I _scare you?"

"No, not exactly. I'm scared _for_ you. For us. I'm afraid of losing you to Klaus."

"You are never going to lose me." But even those words don't erase the worried look on Caroline's face. "It's going to be okay. You'll see."

"But when Klaus comes back, and you know he will come back—"

"We'll deal with that when we have to."

"I just don't like this control he has over you."

Tyler grins widely and starts to laugh.

"What? What's so funny?"

He leans forward and kisses her. "The self-professed control freak on crack is worried that someone else has control over me. You just don't want any competition."

"That's not it. Not really. Okay. Maybe a little."

Tyler laughs even harder. "So, do I have to say the wolf's lines now?"

Caroline bites her lower lip. "You don't have to, but..."

He sighs and knows he's going to humour her, just like he always does—not that he isn't enjoying her Halloween costume. Not. At. All. "Fine, Red. Go for it."

"Oh, my! What big eyes you have!" Caroline tries but can't suppress a giggle.

Tyler shakes his head, not quite believing he's about to take part in this silliness. "All the better to see you with."

"And what big ears you have!"

"All the better to hear you with."

"What big teeth you have!"

"All the better to eat you with."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Caroline smiles mischievously and starts pulling up the short skirt of her dress. There's not much to pull up, honestly, and he can immediately see that she's not wearing any panties under her costume. His mouth falls open and he groans, his jeans suddenly and uncomfortably too tight. He glances at her face and sees she knows how much he likes going down on her, and she's grinning because of that knowledge. "Surprise."

He grabs her by the waist and flips her so she sitting on the sofa and he's on his knees in front of her. She's lost her basket, her hood has fallen back, and her skirt is just barely covering her. He spreads her legs wide (these days, he's constantly grateful Caroline is the flexible cheerleader she is), revealing her already aroused sex, pink and glistening, to his hungry eyes. Caressing the soft skin of her inner thighs, he dives down and she gasps.

"So, did you still want to go to the Fell's party?" she asks, her voice breathy and catching on every other word as his tongue busily works on her.

He pauses only long enough to ask: "What party?"

Caroline's laugh of victory echoes through the house then turns into a prolonged moan as Tyler's focus returns to his surprise. Halloween has just become his favourite holiday.

END.

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><p><strong>Author's Note 2: <strong>I whipped this is up today and wanted to post it before Halloween was over (at least in my time zone) so I hope it's okay and not too rough around the edges.

And with it being Halloween I also couldn't resist the whole Little Red Riding Hood costume, no matter how cheesy or clichéd, because of the whole werewolf thing.

As always, thank you for reading and I appreciate any and all reviews. I'm always trying to improve as a writer and feedback helps. Happy Halloween everyone!


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